Managing Stress
The countdown has begun. Your date with the test is looming on the horizon. Anxiety is on the rise.
The butterflies in your stomach have gone ballistic. Your thinking is getting cloudy. Maybe you think
you won’t be ready. Maybe you already know your stuff, but you’re going into panic mode anyway.
Don’t freak! It’s possible to tame that anxiety and stress—before and during the test.
Remember, a little stress is good. Anxiety is a motivation to study. The adrenaline that gets pumped
into your bloodstream when you’re stressed helps you stay alert and think more clearly. But if you
feel that the tension is so great that it’s preventing you from using your study time effectively, here
are some things you can do to get it under control.
TAKE CONTROL
Lack of control is a prime cause of stress. Research shows that if you don’t have a sense of control
over what’s happening in your life, you can easily end up feeling helpless and hopeless. Try to
identify the sources of the stress you feel. Which ones of these can you do something about? Can
you find ways to reduce the stress you’re feeling about any of these sources?
FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS
Make a list of areas of strength you have that will help you do well on the test. We all have strengths,
and recognizing your own is like having reserves of solid gold at Fort Knox. You’ll be able to draw on
your reserves as you need them, helping you solve difficult questions, maintain confidence, and
keep test stress and anxiety at a distance. And every time you recognize a new area of strength,
solve a challenging problem, or score well on a practice test, you’ll increase your reserves.